Léon Schwartzenberg
BMJ 2003; 327 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7422.1052 (Published 30 October 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:1052
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Editor-
I was enthralled by the life story of Leon
Schwartzenberg, the iconoclastic French oncologist.
But I was disturbed by your mention of him, a Jew
whose family suffered under the Nazis, as belonging to
the Jewish "race."
Jews, an ancient people going back some 4,000 years,
come in many colors, from European white to Yemenite
brown to Ethiopian black and all shades in between.
Non-Jews can convert to Judaism by accepting certain
beliefs and practises; a person of one race cannot
convert to another.
We 13 million Jews belong to a religion, a people, a
nation and a culture. We have been persecuted over
the millennia but are still here. Calling us a "race" only
promotes discrimination and hatred.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Maronite Lebanese and Jews
I do believe in what you mentioned and I truly think that Lebanon and
specially maronite christian are jews cousins back by history.
Jews are not a race....we as maronite lebanese are with NULL RACISM,
we lived all kind of destructive wars and we do know what jews and other
people suffered.
Calling Jews race is not at all acceptable.
They are people, culture and National Identity.
Thank you
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests